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Osieck warns Neill, says Kewell a chance

Angela Habashy

Socceroos coach Holger Osieck has warned no-one's spot in the squad is secured for the World Cup - not even skipper Lucas Neill's - and says the door is still open for Harry Kewell to stake his claim.

The German coach admitted he was concerned over Neill's clubless situation, with the captain still unable to secure a deal since leaving Sydney FC in May after playing just four games in his 10-game stint at the A-League club.

Neill wasn't selected for the East Asian Cup squad currently in South Korea as he was busy chasing a possible deal in the MLS.

But Osieck said there had been no progress on that front and warned the 35-year-old's position in the team would be in jeopardy if he didn't find a club soon.

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"It is a concern," he conceded.

"If he hasn't got a place and he's not playing, I mean how then can he play for the national team?

"And I think he is pretty much aware of that."

Kewell's situation isn't much better.

The striker hasn't made a Socceroos appearance in over a year, and has played just three matches for Qatari club Al Gharafa since leaving Melbourne Victory at the end of the 2011/2012 season.

With Kewell to play at Melbourne Heart next season Osieck said he would be closely monitoring his progress.

"I always said whoever plays, whoever performs has a chance, no matter what his name is, no matter what his position is, what his club is," he said.

"Due to the fact that he's back in Australia it's very easy to follow up on him."

The German coach confirmed he would look to settle on a provisional World Cup squad of 30 players by March and stressed that no-one was yet guaranteed a place.

"No final positions are locked away," he insisted.

"Everyone still has to qualify, including the goalkeeper (veteran Mark Schwarzer) to the guy on the left flank. I need the competition within the group."

Osieck, who selected an experimental 23-man squad for the East Asian Cup, said he'd "collected a good deal of information" about his young charges and singled out Central Coast Mariners striker Mitchell Duke and new Western Sydney signing Tomi Juric for praise.

He said with Croatian import Dino Kresinger now gone he hoped Juric would get plenty of action at the Wanderers.

"Mitch Duke looks a very good prospect," he said.

"I hope Juric will get enough playing time with the Wanderers.

"Without criticising a club or getting into their business, they had a centre forward last season who should not block the path of a young promising Australian."

A year out from the World Cup, the four-nation tournament in South Korea is the beginning of preparations for Brazil but Osieck plans to use the next six windows for international friendlies to settle on his World Cup squad.

"Our preparations started here in this tournament... but there's still a long way," he said.

"In football one year is a very long time, a lot of things can happen."